1. Field of the Invention
This invention related to mailing forms, and more particularly, to mailing forms which can be folded into initial envelopes after information is printed with a non-impact printer.
2. Background of the Invention
Non-impact printers, such as laser or ink jet printers, are being increasingly used to provide a fast, economical, and convenient method of printing data developed within computer systems and stored in databases. An important example of this kind of data is found in the accounts receivable data of both large and small organizations. In most organizations, preparing and distributing monthly statements represents a significant effort, as account data is printed and distributed in envelopes.
Many invoices, monthly statements, renewal notices, questionnaires and the like arrive in a single envelope together with a number of other printed documents. At a typical minimum level, a return envelope and a response document are included with the mailing. While responses may all be returned to a central location, it is often desirable to provide a number of different locations, or box numbers, to which responses for various different mailings are sent. In this way, an initial sorting step can be avoided.
Multi-part forms, including envelopes in which statements are sent, together with the statements themselves, have been manufactured for use in impact printers. Such forms are typically assembled into webs with sprocket holes extending along one or both lateral edges to facilitate handling through a pin feed impact printer. Transferable coatings are selectively placed on one or more of the sheets making up the assembly, so that externally applied printing forces are transferred to produce characters on intermediate document surfaces. This approach has further been modified to provide a remittance envelope, in which various materials, such as a check and a portion of the statement, may be returned to the organization sending the statement.
However, with the increasing popularity of non-impact printers, especially with small organizations, the percentage of organizations having the impact printers necessary to use such multi-part forms is decreasing. Therefore, what is needed is a mailing form configured for use with non-impact printers. However, such forms do not have flexibility and capability of forms developed for use with ink jet printers. Furthermore, such forms often must be processed through automatic folding/sealing machines to be used in a practical manner. Such automatic folding machines are other examples of equipment not available to many small organizations. Therefore, what is needed is a mailing form which can be easily prepared without the use of a folding machine.
Mailing forms developed for use in non-impact printers, require that some information be printed on each side of the form if a return envelope is to be constructed from the form. Because of practical considerations, dual side printing generally means that fixed data, which is the same for all of the forms being printed, must be printed on one side while variable data, which is generally specific for each form being printed, is printed on the other side. For example, the front of the return envelope is printed with fixed data on one side of the form. In this way, the customer returning the return envelope is required to fill out his address. This compromise may present an inconvenience for the organization originally sending the mailing forms as well as for the customer. If the address of the organization must be printed as part of the fixed information on the return envelope, a special box number related to the particular form cannot be used. Thus, what is needed is a mailing form that can be used to produce an initial envelope, a return envelope, and a statement by printing on one side only of the form.
A number of different types of forms include flaps or pockets provided in a closed configuration which must be opened at a later time. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,071, issued to Moore Business Forms, Inc. However, this patent describes a form having the disadvantage of not providing a return envelope, nor providing for Information Based Indicia (IBI) or showing of a Facing Identification mark (FIM) per the requirements of the United States Postal Service (U.S.PS). Various means are employed to make a portion of the form tear open in a preferred manner. For example, a perforated or die-cut sheet may be used in this way. Alternatively or additionally, a number of parallel glass fibers (fiberglass) may be provided to give a particular strip of material the strength needed for easy removal without breaking apart. A problem with this approach is that the glass fibers lie only in a straight line, so that the material to be removed must be a straight strip. What is needed is a reinforcing coating which can be applied to material which is not straight, allowing its removal without breaking up.
A mailing form providing these advantages absent from the currently available forms, including the provision of a return envelope, and areas for IBI and FIM indicia are needed in the art.